Ball applicator having shiftable ball support



' Nov. 24, 1959 w. A. SCHAICH 2,913,746

BALL APFLICATOR HAVING SHIF TABLE BALL SUPPORT Filed July 19, 1956 INVENTOR /laawiaw/ex/ ATTOR Y5 United States Patent BALL APPLICATOR HAVING SHIFTABLE BALL SUPPORT Wilbur A. Schaich, Maumee, Ohio, assignor to Owens- Illinois Glass Company, a corporation of Ohio Application July 19, 1956, Serial No. 598,828

is Claims. c1. 15-1325 This invention relates to a ball-type applicator particularly adaptable to the application of deodorants, perfumes and similar cosmetics to the skin or clothing.

The employment of ball applicators 'in the cosmetic field is not new. Previous applicators have generally embodied a plastic retaining fitment for mounting the ball in dispensing relationship to the opening of a container, and a cooperating closure or cap which, when applied, effects a seal between the retaining fitment and the ball to prevent leakage of the cosmetic from the container. Some prior constructions have generally relied upon a lateral compression of the retaining fitment into sealing engagement with the ball to elfect the seal. Such seal is difficult to produce and maintain. In other constructions, the applicating pressure exerted upon the ball during use would tend to force the ball into sealing contact with the Wall of the fitment and thereby limit the flow of cosmetic material.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved ball-type cosmetic applicator.

A particular object of this invention is to provide an improved retaining fitment for a ball applicator which is susceptible to limited axial movement with respect to the container to shift between a dispensing position and sealing position relative to the ball.

' A further object of the invention is to provide a ballapplicator construction wherein the pressure imposed upon the ball in the course of applying cosmetics has no effect upon the fiow of cosmetic from the container.

The specific nature of this invention, as well as other objects and advantages thereof, will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the annexed sheet of drawings on which, by way of preferred example only, two embodiments of this invention are illustrated.

On the sheet of drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through a ball-type dispensing package embodying this invention, with the closure or cap of the package shown in its closed position.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but illustrating the closure or cap in a partially opened position.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of a modified form of retaining fitment embodying this invention.

Numeral represents a container, for deodorants, perfumes or similar cosmetics, having a discharge opening 10a. Around the rim of such discharge opening, there are provided a series of grooves or recesses 10b for a purpose to be hereinafter described. immediately surrounding the opening 10a, the container 10 is provided with a radial retaining lip 10c and then with an outwardly tapering section 10d which communicates with a larger diameter threaded portion 10a. A shoulder 10g is formed at the juncture of tapered portion 10d and threaded portion 10e.

A substantially rigid dispensing ball 11 is provided having a diameter in excess of the container opening 10a and adapted to seat upon the rim of container open- Patented Nov. 24, 1959 ing 10a. A retaining fitment 12 of a resilient plastic material, such as polyethylene, is provided having top ball pocket portion 12a which terminates in a sealing rim 12b of lesser diameter than ball 11 and adapted to engage the ball 11 in sealing relationship.

The other end 120 of fitment 12 is shaped to cooperate with the exterior of container 10 to permit a limited degree of axial movement of fitment 12 relative. to such container. Thus the fitment 12 includes an internal annular groove 12g adapted to be snapped into assembled relationship with container lip 10c and, groove 12g is of slightly greater axial length than the lip as to permit limited axial movement of the fitment 12 relative to container 10. In effect, the radial under surface 10 of lip 10c cooperates with radial bottom surface 12 of fitment groove 12g to secure fitment 12 to container 10. Additionally, the lower end portion 12c of fitment 12 has an internal tapered surface 12d shaped to snugly conform to the external tapered surface 14d of the container 10. Finally, fitment 12 is provided with an outwardly projecting shoulder or ledge 12e which is engaged by an internal shoulder 13b of a closure 13.

Closure 13 is of conventional inverted cup-shape configuration and is provided with a bottom recess 13a constructed to freely surround the fitment 12 and with an internally threaded portion 13c adapted to engage the threaded portion 102 of the container 10. The fitment engaging shoulder 13b of closure 13 is positioned intermediate the recess 13a and the threaded portion 130.

When, as shown in Fig. l, closure 13 is tightened on the container threads 10e, the shoulder 13b will engage the fitment shoulder 12:: and axially shift the fitment downwardly with respect to container 10, thus stressing tapered portion 12d of fitment 12 which surrounds the tapered surface 10d of the container 10, both by radial expansion and by contact with shoulder 10g. At the same time, the sealing rim 12b of fitment 12 will-be axially shifted into contact with the ball 11 to produce a seal Which prevents the loss of contents of the container 10. Obviously, rim 12b is tensionally extended when forced against the ball 11.

When the closure 13 is entirely or partially removed from container 10, as illustrated in Fig. 2, the fitment 12 shifts axially outwardly under the bias of the stressed tapered portion 12d and rim 12b. Hence an opening 15 is provided between the ball 11 and the sealing rim 12b of the fitment 12 and, when the container 10 is inverted and the ball 11 is rolled along the skin or other surface, the contents of container 10 will be transferred by ball 11 to the area which is contacted. In this convention the grooves 10b formed around the container opening 10a permit the free flow of fluid of the container 10 onto the surface of ball 11, irrespective of the amount of applicating pressure.

In the modification of this invention, illustrated in'Fig. 3, the fitment 14 is identical to the fitment 12 heretofore described with the exception that the lower portion of the fitment 14 is defined by a plurality of legs or tabs 14a which respectively engage the external tapered surface 10d of the container 10. The legs 14a are stressed by being compressed against shoulder 10g by the closure 13 when the latter is tightly attached to the container and by virtue of their resiliency function to shift the fitment 14 axially outwardly when the closure 13 is removed.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that the ball applicator construction of this invention provides an effective seal preventing leakage of the contents of the container when the closure is applied and yet permits unimpaired application of the fluid contents of the container by the applicator ball when the closure is removed.

I claim:

1. A dispensing package comprising a container having a neck defining a dispensing opening, a radial retaining shoulder formed on the exterior of said neck, a ball resting in said opening, an annular ball retainer, said retainer having at one axial end an internally projecting resilient rib positioned behind said radial retaining shoulder and slidably engaging an axially extending portion of said neck adjacent to said retaining shoulder, said axially extending portion being of suflicient axial length to permit axial displacement of said retainer relative to said axially extending portion and while said retainer is assembled thereon, the other axial end of said retainer surrounding said ball and defining an opening of lesser diameter than said ball, thereby retaining said ball in assembled relation to said dispensing opening, said neck having a threaded section at the end of said axially extending portion remote from said retaining shoulder, and a hollow cap surrounding said ball retainer, said cap being provided with internal threads in mating engagement with said threaded neck section and having an interior surface engaging said ball retainer to axially shift said retainer along said neck as said cap is threadably tightened, thereby shifting said other axial end of said retainer axially into sealing engagement with said ball.

2. The combination defined in claim 1, wherein said axially extending neck portion of the container increases in diameter in the axial direction away from said retaining shoulder, thereby resiliently expanding said retainer rib as said cap is tightened.

3. The combination defined in claim 1, wherein said neck defines a plurality of grooves formed in said dispensing opening and providing fiuid passages communicating between the interior of said fitment and said dispensing opening when said ball is resting in said dispensing opening.

4. A dispensing package comprising a container having a neck defining a dispensing opening, an external retaining bead formed on said neck, a ball seating in said opening, an annular ball retainer fabricated from resilient material, said retainer having at one axial end an internally projecting rib extending beneath said bead and engaging an axially extending portion of said neck adjacent to said bead in axially slidable relationship, said axially extending portion being of greater axial length than said rib to permit axial movement of said retainer relative to said neck, the other axial end of said retainer surrounding said ball and defining an opening of lesser diameter than said ball, thereby retaining said ball in assembled relation to said dispensing opening, said neck having a threaded section at the end of said axially extending portion remote from said retaining bead, and a hollow cap surrounding said ball retainer, said cap having internal threads mating with said threaded neck section and having an interior surface selectively engaging said ball retainer to axially shift said retainer along said neck as said cap is threadably tightened on said neck, thereby sealingly engaging said other axial end of said retainer with said ball.

5. A dispensing package comprising a container having a neck defining a dispensing opening, a retaining bead formed on the exterior of said neck, a ball seating in said opening, an annular ball retainer fabricated from resilient material, said retainer having at one axial end a resiliently deformable internally projecting rib positioned behind said bead and slidably engaging an axially extending portion of said neck adjacent to said bead, said axially extending portion being of greater axial length than said rib to permit axial movement of said retainer relative to said neck, said neck having an outwardly projecting shoulder at the end of said axially extending portion remote from said retaining bead to bear against said rib and limit relative axial movement of said retainer, the other axial end of said retainer surrounding said ball and defining an opening of lesser diameter than said ball, thereby retaining said ball in assembled relation to said dispensing opening, said neck having a threaded section at the end of said axially extending portion remote from said retaining bead, and a hollow cap surrounding said ball retainer, said cap having threads mating with said threaded neck section and having an interior surface selectively engaging said ball retainer to axially shift said retainer along said neck as said cap is threadably tightened, thereby sealingly engaging said other axial end of said retainer with said ball, the tightening of said cap also being effective to resiliently deform said retainer end portion against said shoulder, thereby biasing said retainer to move axially outward upon loosening of said cap.

6. The combination defined in claim 5, wherein said internally projecting rib of said retainer comprises a plurality of circumferentially spaced integral tabs.

7. An applicator package comprising a container having a neck defining an opening, a ball seated in said opening, an annular ball retainer, means on one axial end of said retainer for slidably engaging an axially extending portion of said neck, means on said neck limiting axial movements of said retainer relative to said neck, the other axial end of said retainer surrounding said ball and defining an opening of lesser diameter than said ball, thereby retaining said ball in assembled relation to said opening, a closure removably surrounding said retainer, said closure and said neck portion having cooperating threads to permit tightening of said closure on said neck, and means in said closure engageable with said retainer to axially shift said retainer along said neck as said closure is tightened, thereby sealingly engaging said other axial end of said retainer with said ball.

8. The combination defined in claim 7, wherein said retainer is fabricated from resilient material and said axially extending neck portion increases in diameter in the axial direction away from said opening.

9. A ball applicator package comprising a container having a neck portion provided with external fastening means, an applicating ball overlying the mouth of said neck portion, an annular retaining fitment surrounding said ball, means mounting the inner axial end of said fitment on said neck portion and permitting limited axially slidable movement of said fitment relative to said neck portion, the outer axial end of said fitment defining an annular sealing surface engageable with said ball when said fitment is slidably shifted axially toward said container, and detachable means cooperating with said neck fastening means for selectively axially sliding said fitment inwardly into sealing engagement with said ball, said detachable means being shaped to fit over and enclose said ball and said fitment incident to attachment thereof to said neck fastening means.

10. A ball applicator package comprising a container having an externally threaded neck portion, a radial retaining shoulder on said neck portion axially outwardly of said neck threads, an applicating ball overlying the mouth of said neck portion, an annular retaining fitment of resilient elastomeric material surrounding said ball, an internally projecting rib on one axial end of said fitment fitting over said retaining shoulder in snap-fit relationship and surrounding said neck portion in axially slidable relationship, thereby retaining said fitment on said container while permitting limited relative movement thereof, the other axial end of said fitment defining an annular sealing surface engagable with said ball when said fitment is shifted axially toward said container, and means cooperating with said neck threads for selectively axially shifting said fitment into sealing engagement with said ball.

ll. A ball applicator package comprising a container having an externally threaded neck portion, a radial retaining shoulder on said neck portion axially outwardly of said neck threads, an applicating ball overlying the mouth of said neck portion, an annular retaining fitment of resilient elastomeric material surrounding said ball, an internally projecting rib on one axial end of said fitment fitting over saidretaining shoulder in snap-fit relationship and engaging said neck portion in axially slidable relationship, thereby retaining said fitment on said container,

said ball, means mounting the inner axial end of said fitment on said neck portion and permitting limited axially slidable movement of said fitment relative to said neck portion, the outer axial end of said fitment defining an annular sealing surface engageable with said ball when sliding said fitment axially toward said container, detachable means cooperating with said external fastening means and engaging said fitment for selectively axially sliding said sealing surface into sealing contact with said ball,

and resilient means between said fitment and said neck portion yieldingly opposing sliding movement of said fitment toward said, container and resiliently urging said sealing surface axially away from said ball in response to removal of said detachable means from said neck fastening means.

13. The combination defined in claim, 12, wherein said detachable means comprises a detachable cup-shaped closure fitting over and enclosing said fitment and ball.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 576,596 Marsh Feb. 9, 1897 2,641,788 Sudbeaz June 16, 1953 2,749,566 Thomas June 12, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 405,901 Great Britain Feb. 15, 1934 759,683

France Nov. 23, 1933 

